Levi Douglas Bradley: Nancy is OUT of PGN!!!!! One step closer to Isaac!

Our Adoption Story

Levi was born on April 21, 2007 in Chinautla, Guatemala, a small town known for pottery. He weighed 6.7 pounds and was 19.7 inches long. He was in private foster care in Guatemala City where he lived for 10 1/2 months with his foster mom, her son and daughter and Isaac, his foster brother. Throughout our difficult adoption journey, Isaac's mom, Nancy and I became very good friends. God placed our boys together and had the perfect plan in place long before we ever realized it. When I was undecided on an adoption agency, I joined an online forum where Nancy provided me with information about her agency and recommended them to us. We decided to sign with the same agency and I emailed Nancy back to let her know. Over a few months we emailed back and forth to learn we were both from TN and lived only 30 minutes apart... we thought wow, it's a small world. Little did we know a few months later we'd both get referrals, earlier than we expected, of 2 beautiful Guatemalan angels. When they turned 2 months old our agency called and decided it was time to tell us that they were in the same foster home together and had been since they were 1 day old. We were amazed they were together. Even more so, God amazed us once again when we learned shortly after that they were born on the same day and were from the same town... no longer a coincidence that was for sure. We were being told by the foster mom how attached they were and acted like brothers. But, Nancy and I got the chance in January '08 to go to visit them and see it for ourselves. It was an amazing time of bonding with our boys that we will never forget. After that trip it seemed when one of us would reach a roadblock in the crazy process of international adoption the other would be delayed with something else. We stayed right together until the very day we picked them both up. We had our US Embassy appts the same day and we flew home through Atlanta on the same flight on March 11, 2008 when they both entered the US as citizens! It was an awesome time for us in the Atlanta Airport when we rec'd the congrats they were official! We've made friends for life with Nancy, Eric, and with Isaac's extended families. We look forward to many years of watching them both grow up so close together. Over the past year, as we went through battle after battle to bring our boys home, Nancy and I both would never think of one without the other in our endless prayers to keep them safe, happy and healthy until they could be home with their forever families. We're finally parents and it's what we've both waited for, for so many years.. our families are finally complete!!!

Friday, January 4, 2008

Nancy is OUT of PGN!!!!! One step closer to Isaac!

Hey, just wanted to post some good news! Nancy got the call that she is OUT of PGN!! She found out this afternoon. She is just more than happy and praising the Lord today! She truly does give Him all the glory for this and knows without Him she wouldn't be this far. We both have a lot to be thankful for. Some of the adoptive parents weren't far enough along to have been grandfathered in under the old law as we were. I am sure when she gets to Guatemala and holds him in her arms this time she'll be looking at him in a whole new way. Before she called him her son and hoped and prayed he soon would be but, now she can say "this is MY son" and know it's finally real. Steve and I am so happy for her. I know she will continue to pray for Levi and hopefully we're soon to follow. It is good to know that although PGN has posted signs at the window where cases are brought by attorneys to submit, they are taking no more new cases at this time until the new law details are settled and established, the cases that are still there are still being reviewed and moving. Also, thanks to Nancy being persistent with our agency, the attorney over our cases in Guatemala is going to be talking to us about the birth certificate issues I mentioned in my previous post and what she has in place to do about the delays. As always, please just pray we're out too soon and that things continue to move to have them both home soon. As you pray today too, stop just a moment and say an extra prayer for all the children of Guatemala who won't have the opportunities Levi and Isaac will have because they'll be caught up in a corrupt government that has system set up to care for them but, want to stop/delay adoptions. Also, for our boys' foster mom, she will be without a job once Levi and Isaac come home. She has 2 children of her own and the small amount she gets for fostering them is her only source of income until when and if they ever have foster homes again. As of right now, unless things change , that is part of the new laws, no more private foster care. She is a fine lady and deserves so much more. Thanks in advance for all your prayers and support. Congrats again Nancy and Eric, praying your sweet boy is home with you all soon. - Tracy (aka Levi's mommy)

3 comments:

Gail said...: Tracy,
I am praying you get your OUT soon.
Gail; January 4, 2008 at 11:05:00 AM EST
Nancy and Isaac McGee said...: Hey you all. Yes I am still thanking God for being soooo good. I know you and Steve are not far behind us. I told you last night you all will be out in a couple of weeks and wouldn't it be great to be there together to bring our boys home to the mtns. of TENNESSEE. We really have a lot to be thankful for. We just got to keep praying for God's will to be done in this and no matter what happens with this birth cert. issue we will bring our boys home. I love ya'll.; January 5, 2008 at 5:43:00 PM EST
Courtney said...: Hang in there. You will be out soon. Praying for you. We have been out since Dec 18. Good Luck. COurtney; January 6, 2008 at 4:05:00 PM EST